Vegan Baked Mac & Cheese
Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 35 minTotal 50 min
Prep and cook times are estimates — every kitchen moves at its own pace. None significant.
Creamy. Cheesy. With a golden baked top that crackles under your fork — this is the BEST vegan baked mac and cheese, and we'll stand by that. The roux-based sauce is silky and rich, loaded with melty cheddar, pepper jack, and cream cheese, with just enough cayenne to keep things interesting.
This is the dish we bring to every holiday and cookout, and the one that makes non-vegans ask for the recipe.
Watch it made
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Optional: cook the pasta 1 minute shy of al dente — it bakes 30–40 minutes more, and fully cooked pasta goes mushy.
- In a large nonstick pot over medium heat, melt the vegan butter and stir in the flour. Stir continuously until it starts to turn golden brown, creating a roux.
- Add 1 cup of the plant-based milk, reserving the rest for later. Stir to combine.
- Add half of the shredded cheese and stir until melted, then stir in the spice blend. Optional: Daiya's Cutting Board cheddar and pepper jack are great picks here; Violife and Good Planet shreds work great too. No cheddar block? Just use an extra bag of shreds.
- Add the vegan cream cheese and stir until combined.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of plant-based milk and stir. The cheese sauce should be nice and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta and the rest of the cheese shreds (reserving a large handful for topping). Stir until every noodle is coated in cheese sauce.
- Transfer to a baking dish and top with the reserved cheese. Optional: toss panko with melted vegan butter and scatter over the reserved cheese for a crunchy topping.
- Bake uncovered for 30–40 minutes, until hot and golden. Optional: rest 10 minutes after baking before serving — the sauce sets instead of running.
